Family Business
by Eriu
Summary: StargateFarscape. After years of isolation, Daniel must face his family once again. John has to overcome his anger with his cousin to discover the life he leads behind the lies. Completely revised, Takes place after Full Alert and during Terra Firma
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I've screwed with canon a bit. Daniel has family (hence the title) he just doesn't really talk to them. And the timelines are a little funky. It's also going to be an AU in both shows. I hope that made some sort of sense. Probably not. Oh well…

**Summery:** Most families just own a store- or a restaurant.

**Disclaimer:** Both Stargate and Farscape belong to their respective creators and producers. This story is for entertainment purposes only no money is being made from it's publication.

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* * *

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**Family Business**

Prologue

* * *

For what seemed like the hundredth time in the past few minutes, Daniel checked his

watch. He let out a small sigh when he saw it had only been five minutes since the last time

he'd checked. Normally Daniel Jackson was a very patient man; he had to be in his line of

work. He rolled his neck, staring out the small airline window and grimaced as his still

sore muscles protested the action. He hadn't meant to miss his chance to talk to his cousin

before John tested his theories with his Farscape I. Of course, he hadn't meant to be

kidnapped by a primitive alien intent on turning him into Sunday dinner either. He took

another quick glance at his watch, trying to hide his nervousness from the other passengers

of the large commercial jet. If this plane didn't hurry up he was going to miss his chance to

see John's take off as well.

Daniel held back another frustrated sigh; the old lady sitting next to him was giving him

that maternal look he'd seen a lot from old ladies, and thought back to the last time he'd

seen his father's family. It had been just before that disastrous lecture; some five years ago

in Los Angelus. Looking back he thought he might have gotten a little carried away with

his estrangement crusade. He'd left Doctor Jordan, Sarah and Steven to protect their

careers, but Daniel still wasn't sure why he'd left his family. He nearly screamed with joy

when the pilot announced their decent and wondered how long it would take for him to get

to Canaveral.

When they finally touched down Daniel was about ready to explode. Nervous energy

curling from his taut muscles in waves. He shuffled behind the lady in front of him

dutifully and once off the plane charged down the wide hallways; bypassing security with

his military ID. He was almost to the main gates when he realized he had forgotten his

luggage at baggage claim. With an explosive groan he turned around and ran back into the

bustling airport toward the baggage wheels.

* * *

He'd made it-- barely. He propped himself against the doorjamb of the family viewing area

at IASA headquarters, drab green duffle hanging over his shoulder. He looked around the

small room sadly; they hadn't realized he'd arrived, Daniel thought he could just turn

around, walk away, and now one would even know he'd been there. He didn't belong there,

with the Chrichtons; they weren't his anymore.

"Dan?" He bit his lip to hide a grimace trying to take over his face; too late now.

"Hay," he forced a smile as his aunt gave him a quick kiss on the cheek "Did I miss it?"

"Not yet." Olivia scooted over a chair and he took the seat between his aunt and cousin

awkwardly. She gave him a quick sidelong glance that he wasn't supposed to see. "Your

late." She sounded hurt. "John was really looking forward to talking to you before the

launch. Where the hell were you?" Now she sounded angry, apparently John wasn't the

only one disappointed in his time management skills.

Daniel gave her a horrified look. He had Two-hour flight and he hadn't even thought up

a cover story. "I got…" he paused ".Busy at… work." That was lame.

Olivia looked like she was going to say something else when Leslie interrupted. "Honey,

what happened to your face?" She asked, running her fingers along the scratch on his

cheek. He turned his head away so she couldn't see his eyes, and tried not to let out a

slightly hysterical laugh that almost escaped his lips. _Oh, that? I was kidnapped by a _

_primitive alien and_ _dragged halfway across another planet. _He wanted so badly to say it

but instead he muttered just as lamely as before "It's just a scratch."

They all fell silent as the countdown began, news reports poured in over multiple

television sets and even more displayed the progress of John's shuttle. Daniel let the

sounds wash around him as he watched the white module launch from orbit, he watched

as it sped up. Everything was going fine. Then something happened. Something terrible,

some sort of spatial anomaly. Jack and DK were yelling into the radio in the control center.

Leslie was holding her hands over her mouth and Olivia's hand was digging into his thigh

painfully. Daniel looked down at his pocket when his cell phone rang. He'd get it in a

minute. There was a bright flash; a burst of static, and John was gone.

Daniel didn't answer his phone.


	2. Chapter 1 It's a Start

Chapter One

_It's a Start_

* * *

John was sitting in his parent's living room, but not on the couch; he'd brought a chair from the dining room and set it in front of the big bay windows that looked out to the pool. In his hands he held a letter, the envelope, post marked from three years before lay discarded at his feet.

* * *

_To Mister and Missus Jack Crichton,_

_It is my unhappy duty to inform of the death of your nephew, Doctor Daniel Jackson. Though not a member of the US Air Force or any other branch of the United States military, he never the less served his country with a selflessness and courage that is unparalleled in the officers and enlisted men of today's armed forces. Daniel Jackson did not just give his life to this project, he offered his mind, and kept the men and women of this base honest. In the years that I have known him he has become a dear friend and will be sorely missed. _

_I would like to extend my deepest regrets to you and your family. I know that he held you close to his heart in everything he did, and I feel it is my duty to inform you that Doctor Jackson did not die in vain. His sacrifice saved the lives of thousands of men, women and children, and though I cannot expound upon the details of his death, I can tell you that he died a hero._

_Sincerely,_

_Major General George Hammond_

* * *

"John?" His mother had snuck up behind when he'd been reading. "John, honey, are you alright?"

"You didn't tell he was dead." He didn't mean to sound angry, after all this letter would mean his mother would have lost her only connection to her dead brother.

"Where did you get that, John?" She sounded stern, as she took in the envelope and letter clutched in her son's hands.

"I've been angry with him for four years, Mom, and you didn't tell me he was dead." He exclaimed. "I thought he… why didn't you tell me?" He stood up to look her in the eye; he truly wanted and answer.

"Because Dan's coming to dinner tonight, John, he came back two years ago and told us all he could." She paused and took his hand in hers "He's not dead, John, he can tell you himself when you pick him up at the airport." And then she wasn't in the living

room anymore.

" Airport?" John stared at the now crumpled letter in his hands.

"Baggage claim, 3:45; and don't be late, John." His mother's voice drifted from the kitchen. John suddenly had the feeling he'd been duped.

The door slid open with great force. John spun around to see Chiana in her new pink bakini hands braced against the doorframe she'd just accosted.

"Crichton! Come swimming with us. Or sun bathing, or something. You look tragic sitting on that chair." She grabbed his arm and tried to drag him, fully clothed to the poolside.

John braced his free hand on the doorframe and took a quick glance at the clock over the mantle. 2:40; if he left now he'd make it to the airport just in time. Chiana had turned around, and was giving him a slightly comical impatient glare. "I can't, Pip. I gotta go so I can pick up my dead cousin at the airport." He paused briefly. "He's coming over for dinner tonight."

* * *

John pulled up to the curb outside of baggage claim twenty minutes later then he had intended. He didn't remember traffic ever being that bad. He figured Daniel would have been waiting for him on the curb by now. Testily, he put the car in neutral and rolled down the passenger window looking for the longhaired, skinny academic. Turned out he was looking for the wrong guy. John was so intent on finding the other man he completely missed his arrival.

John eyed the tall muscular man wearily. He was wearing a worn leather jacket and a pair fitted blue jeans, heavy duty hiking boots covered his feet. He was tall, probably as tall as Daniel, but bigger—way bigger. He was chatting on an expensive cell phone and watching him curiously. John couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the guy from somewhere. As soon as that thought popped into his mind he dismissed it. It was probably just nut job who thought he'd been abducted by aliens and had been fallowing Crichton and his friends around since they arrived on earth. _On second thought, this could end up being uncomfortable._ As John watched, the man closed his phone and made his way over to the parked car.

"Frelling—" John cursed as the man shouldered his bag and leaned down toward the open window.

"John?" The man asked as he squinted behind his wire framed glasses.

"Can I help you with something, or do you usually try to make conversation with complete strangers in busy transportation centers?" John really wished the guy would get his hand off the door handle. He didn't want to hurt the guy after all.

"Only if that stranger happens to be a blood relative who's supposed to pick up for dinner with my aunt's family." The man bit out with a sickly sweet smile plastered across his well-tanned face. "Can I get in the car now? People are starting to stare."

"Dan?" John wasn't quite sure what to think. "You look… different."

"Well, thank you… I think." Daniel opened the door and tossed his bag in the back seat, sliding into passenger seat at the same time. Both men sat in silence for a while as the drove out of the airport complex. John was trying to figure out when his quiet cousin had turned into a body builder who wore leather.

He shot another look quick glance at the man in the passenger seat, before turning back to the road with a little smirk. Daniel's face was all scrunched up, and to John he looked vaguely constipated. At least Daniel was off balance as well.

"So…" John jumped at Daniel's unexpected exclamation. "How was space?"

John gave the other man another quick look before answering. "Frelling awesome."

"Frelling?"

Daniel sounded like he knew what it meant but John answered anyway. "It's like fucking, only different."

"Literally?" Daniel sounded amused and John bet his cousin had set that whole thing up.

"Bastard." John sniped back.

"Now that's just mean." Again, John had the feeling he'd had a lot of theses kinds of conversations since he'd last seen him.

The fell into silence again for a long about twenty minutes. John watched the road while Daniel looked out his window.

"I did come, you know." He finally said, very quietly. "I didn't forget, I came."

"I didn't see you there." John sounded harsher then he'd wanted to. It had been four years, he'd seen things no one else could even dream of, and yet he was bitter because this man he hardly even knew hadn't made it the launch. He hardly even thought of the launch anymore. But now that Daniel was here John was right back to being angry with him. He hadn't seen the man in over nine years and here he was, mad as he had been when his cousin had left. "You broke mom's heart, Dan."

"I know, John." Daniel whispered as they pulled into the driveway. "But so did you."

* * *

_I apologize for the long, long time between updates, and the fact that the story is no longer going the direction it was before. But I realized halfway through writing the sixth chapter that I didn't have a plot. So I went back to my original idea, hopefully this will have a little more substance._


	3. Chapter 2 Meeting the Natives

"The house is a little bigger then I remember." Daniel reached around his seat for his duffel as he spoke.

"That's because it's not the house." John shot back, "Leave your bag, we're just having dinner here and then we'll go home."

By the time Daniel got his door open John was already on his way to the front door. With a heavy sigh, the archeologist hopped out of the car and jogged to reach the door with his cousin.

John paused with a hand on the door, giving Daniel a stern look. "Look, Dan-"

"You expect me to be on my best behavior?" Daniel interrupted. John just sighed and opened the door, leading his cousin into the beachfront mansion that served as a temporary home for Moya's crew.

They entered the house and went straight for the large kitchen, where Leslie was cooking dinner.

"Hey, Ma." John leaned over and kissed his mother on the cheek.

"Hey, you." She answered happily, with her own peck on the cheek.

"Hello, Leslie." Daniel said from behind the other man. "If I'd known you where cooking, I would have come earlier."

"Nonsense, sweetheart." The older woman answered jovially "I'm sure you were busy with whatever it is you do."

Daniel grimaced "Still, is there anything I can do to help?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." She paused to slap John's hand away from the soup he was trying to dip into "You can go with your cousin, here, and meet his friends." She hugged tightly both of them before they left the kitchen.

"They're all down at the pool right now" John stated as they walked through the large living room. "Livi and Bobby are down there with them, I'm not sure where Dad is."

Daniel nodded in quiet understanding as he watched the other man open the door. Everything about John seemed different, He was cautious to the point of being paranoid. He seemed angry and not just a little scared. But what really gave Daniel pause was the fact that nobody had seemed to notice, and that John didn't seemed inclined to share.

Olivia walked over from where she had been speaking with a thin dark haired woman and grabbed Daniel with all her might. "How's work?"

"Good, you?" Daniel had gotten quite good at evading simple questions.

"Good." Over the past four years Olivia and Daniel had become masters of avoidance.

Apparently, John had not. "'Good'? Just good? C'mon, Dan, you've had to have done something worldly and exotic in these past nine years." He said snidely "Give all the juicy details."

""Oh, no, John." Daniel mocked, "I'm far more interested in your journey through the big bad universe. I'm sure you're just chock full of interesting stories." Daniel sneered angrily "Meaning of Life shit."

Olivia was shocked; Daniel and John were never like this when they were apart. Daniel was always calm, sweet even. He could always be counted on to lend an ear, and had a quick wit about him. John's sincerity and kind words had been her rock growing up, and his goofy humour always made her laugh. Even before Daniel left, they hadn't been so hostile.

"Come on, Dan, let me introduce you to everyone." Olivia sounded slightly hysterical. She grabbed her cousin's arm and tried to pull him down the steps, where John's alien friends were watching.

"Yes, Dan, let's go meet my friends." John and Daniel still hadn't lost eye contact.

"I'd like that very much." Jackson allowed himself to be pulled down the stairs to the small crowd, but he was very much aware of John following close behind.

"Hey, everybody, I'd like you to meat my cousin." John paused to make sure he had everyone's attention. "Everyone, this is Doctor Dan Jackson, Dan, everyone."

Daniel waved a little self consciously, not entirely sure what to do with such a lackluster introduction. "I go by Daniel know, actually." He felt all of a sudden lacking in his ability to make civilized conversation with these people. Not because they were alien; that would be absurd, Daniel Jackson had brokered more interstellar treaties then any person should have to in the past nine years; but because they were John's friends. Daniel had never been able to connect with the people with whom John surrounded himself.

The young grey woman in a pink bikini thrust her hand toward him, saying "And I go by Chiana." She paused to laugh, cocking her head to the side as he took her hand. Her back arched back pushing her pelvis forward in what look like a very painful position to hold for a human. Her long fingers pointed to her companions in a manner that could only be described as hypnotic. "This is D'Argo," she pointed dismissively at the big tentacled man standing behind her, "Aeryn Sun," he acknowledged the dangerous looking woman to Chiana's right. "Sikozu," the redhead with strange eyes, "That's Rygel and Noranti." She finished indicating the small amphibious being on what looked like a hovering wheelchair and an old woman with three eyes.

"Nice to meet you all." He said as he shook everyone's hands. They all seemed quite wary of him, which was to be expected if they'd got their intel from John.

"So what exactly to you do? You're the one person in the Crichton family whose entire life story is still a mystery to us." Chiana still hadn't let go of his hand, not that he could say he minded; she was absolutely mesmerizing.

"I'm an archeologist, actually." He paused, preparing for the barrage of questioning he usually received after such a statement. 'Oh, really, what are you working on now?' and 'Why would the government hire archeologists?' were the most common, and coincidentally, most annoying of the bunch.

"Daniel," John stressed this full name, "works for the United States Air Force. Why don't you tell us about that, Daniel?"

"It's pretty much classified, I'm afraid." Jackson took his hand back and pulled off his coat, draping it over his arm "I did just get back from Russia, which is always nice. But I'm really more interested in what you've been doing, John. All that extra solar adventure must have been absolutely fascinating." Daniel turned so he was facing the other man strait on. "Much more interesting then anything I've ever done." He added lowly, with a touch of barely perceptible humour.

"Why don't we take this conversation in side?" Sun gave a small smile and Daniel knew immediately she was going to try to get as much information out of him as she could. He was going to have to lay off the brandy tonight.

Nods and grunts of agreement all around signaled their departure. Chiana took both Daniel and John's arms and led the way to sliding glass door, the others following closely behind. John kept sending quick glances over his shoulder towards Aeryn as Daniel spoke.

"I should really help Leslie with dinner." He said furtively. "I mean, she's there all by herself, cooking Sunday dinner for- what? - Twenty people? How fair is that?"

"I think she's trying to keep us all from your overly spiced cooking, Dan." John quipped absently.

"It tastes better that way." Daniel shot right back, a smile creasing the lines around his eyes.

"You cook?" Rygel asked.

"Dan doesn't cook," Olivia piped up "He fries spices with a side of meat every once in awhile."

"That's not true," John smiled mischievously "I saw him use vegetables once."

Daniel groaned as he opened the door, saying "I know where you sleep, John." He cuffed the other man over the head playfully as he passed.

"Right back atcha, Dan." John turned and began walk backward, giving his crewmates a wink.

"Livi, Bobby, come help me in the kitchen, would you?" Leslie shouted from the other side of the island separating the living room from the kitchen.

Aeryn followed Bobby and Olivia as far as the liquor cabinet and opened the glass front doors, "Who wants a drink?" She asked, already pulling out a whiskey bottle. She paused over the twelve set of shot glasses artistically arranged on the bottom shelf.

John turned, now sitting on the couch he and Daniel had sprawled themselves across while Aeryn had her back to the two. "We'll have two." John said, indicating his partner in crime.

Waved her off as she made her way to the stairs that led to her room. "I'm fine." She said, "I'm going to go change into something else."

Sikozu made to follow, "Me, too."

"I'll drink." D'Argo said as he situated himself in a plush easy chair. Rygel and Norianti simply lost interest and left.

Aeryn grabbed four glasses in one hand and made her way to stand between the couch and D'Argo's chair. She handed each man a glass, practically forcing Jackson to take the thing. She poured each man a drink and settled into the chair across from the big Luxan's. "Chiana's right." She said casually. "John has not once talked about you."

Daniel smiled softly, completely ignoring his drink and the man next to him. "Last time a saw John, we didn't exactly part on good terms." He looked down at the glass cupped in his hands. "Actually, you were quite hostile."

John shot him a look. " 'I'm going to L.A. don't call me.' How the hell was I supposed to feel about that?"

"Well, seeing as how well my lecture went, you probably wouldn't have gotten and funding on Farscape." Daniel shot back.

"That's not an excuse." Crichton glared at the other man icily.

Aeryn sighed, "In light of all that has happened in the past four years, John, do you think it's necessary to hold such a grudge?" she asked, wanting to get back to her interrogation.


	4. Chapter 3 Talking

"That's not the point!" John hissed angrily, sitting up from his relaxed position on the couch, bumping legs with Daniel in the process.

Daniel snorted, "Then what is the point, John?"

"You left us, you left your family for your career!" John whispered angrily pushing himself into Daniel personal space.

Daniel stared coldly at the other man, "You were only family on holidays, John, the rest of they year I was on my own. " He sighed and leaned back, "I didn't have anyone to drive me to school in the mornings, when I got in trouble, nobody came help me. You're good people, but I was never going to give up my livelihood for you."

Aeryn opened her mouth as if to interrupt but John beat her to it. "So, what, we could give our home, but once you get your Ph.D. You can't so much as talk to us?"

"This has nothing to do with my degrees." Daniel whispered intensely, "I did it for you, John. If you and I had stayed in contact after my lecture someone would have pulled your funding, it was inevitable. Being related to the seemingly insane doesn't do a lot for one's professional reputation."

"Oh, that's very _noble _of you, Daniel." John shot back scathingly.

Aeryn and D'Argo shared an exasperated glance, "Stop it, both of you." D'Argo commanded.

"Yes, please, you're both acting like children." Aeryn agreed.

"He-" Daniel began, but stopped, thinking it would be better to leave well enough alone for now.

"Why didn't you call?" John seemed more subdued this time around. "Why'd you let us think you were dead?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly within walking distance of a telephone, John." Daniel snapped. He glared at his drink for a while, finally conceding defeat and downed the thing in one quick gulp. "Oh, God." He coughed. "That was stupid."

"Yep," John agreed heartily, before doing the same. "Your not exactly known for your alcohol tolerance." He coughed out.

Aeryn watched Jackson very closely, looking for any way to wheedle a little more information out of the man. "You haven't been able to contact your family for how long?" She asked sympathetically.

"Oh, it was only for about a year and half." Daniel sighed dismissively, reaching for the scotch. "And I called when I got back." He paused as he poured John and himself another drink. "Okay, so I called once I got myself an apartment, but that's only because I didn't want to make any long distance calls on Jack's phone."

John took his now full glass back from Daniel, "Who's Jack?"

Both D'Argo and Aeryn leaned closer discreetly, covering their interest by shifting their weight.

"Oh, Jack?" Daniel said dismissively, "Jack's an good friend of mine. He just got promoted, so now, technically, he's also my boss."

"What did he get promoted to?" D'Argo asked sneakily.

"Brigadier General." Daniel spoke into his glass.

"And you expect us to believe to your 'friend' didn't send to get us to tell you what we haven't told them?" Aeryn seemed unimpressed and a little offended at her own suggestion.

Daniel looked up from the dark alcohol. "No," He said simply, "I don't, even if I really am here to see my family."

The four of them sat silently for a while, clearly unwilling to share any information with each other, when the front door opened, admitting Jack Crichton.

"What's going on in here?" the elder Crichton said as he walked into the living room, jacket draped across his arms.

The four already sitting looked up at the Jack, not speaking. John was the first to break the silence. "We're just talking, dad. I'm curious as to what Daniel's been doing all this time."

Jack snorted, "I am, too, son." He paused "And that goes doubly for you."

"Where were you today, anyway, Dad?" John simply ignored his father's not so subtle prying.

"Actually, I was talking to some people in Washington." He paused dramatically. "It took a bit of work, you seem to have made quite an impression but I got Dan a spot on the new Farscape project." Jack finished proudly.

"What?" Both Daniel and John looked mortified. Aeryn and D'Argo didn't look much better.

"Yeah, the president didn't seem to keen on the idea, but the Joint Chiefs and Security Counsel seemed really excited about the idea by the time I was finished." Jack paused briefly as grunted angrily and downed his second shot. "This your chance to finally prove your theories, Daniel, a chance of a lifetime. I thought you'd be a little more happy about it, in light of John's discoveries."

"Did it occur to you t hat the Joint Chiefs and Security Counsel would love to see me disappear?" Daniel sounded much more calm the he felt. "I'm this close," he held up his index finger and thumb about a half an inch apart, "To finishing the work I started nine years ago, and now I have to leave before seeing it through? I can't let everybody down like that."

"I have to agree with Daniel, it's really not a good idea for him to come with us." John interjected, insanely relieved that Daniel wasn't jumping at the chance go see the universe.

"Well, what about after your project is finished? It's not like Moya is leaving tomorrow."

Daniel's eyes went wide his jaw clenched, and from Aeryn's position she could see a little vein on his neck grow and pulse. "I have plans, Uncle Jack." He said quietly. "Important plans."

Before Jack could state his rebuttal, D'Argo interjected. "I'm sure you can think about for a long while now. And have answer for Colonel Crichton later."

Jack nodded hesitantly. "I'm just going to go check on Leslie."

"Thank you, Colonel." Aeryn replied to his back.

Both John and Daniel watched as Jack left, "Well, this sucks." John stated conversationally.

Daniel sighed unhappily, "You can say that again."


	5. Chapter 4 More Talking

"Come in!" Jack O'Neill bellowed from behind his desk, eyes still locked on the latest report from SG-3's most recent mineral survey.

"Hey, Jack," Half of Daniel appeared from behind the half opened door, "am I interrupting something?"

"Dear God, no!" Jack shoved the reports away, watching hopefully as the rest of Daniel gingerly entered his office. Jack smirked at his friend's ginger behavior toward his office furniture. "I've been here for half a year, Jackson, the chair won't bite. Promise."

Daniel snorted and plopped down in the much smaller leather chair facing Jack's nifty hand-me-down oak desk. "It's just weird making social calls to General Hammond's office."

"Well, if your gonna be like that, I'll just finish this fascinating survey Dixon's team was kind enough to send me." O'Neill tried to look put out as he shuffled his papers around his desk, but failed to hide a creeping smile.

Daniel reached out and grabbed one of Jack's wayward memorandums, fiddling with it restlessly. Jack meanwhile, propped his chin on his hand, watching his friend fidget unhappily.

"You're back early." The newly minted Brigadier General started awkwardly.

"Yeah," Daniel paused, setting the memo back on the desk then reached for Jack's nameplate. O'Neill gave an inarticulate shriek and slapped Jackson's hand away from the bronze triangle.

"Weren't you going to Florida for Thanksgiving?"

"I was, but it didn't work out. Plus, you called me." Daniel still wouldn't look at him, which was starting to get a bit worried. "My uncle got me a spot on the Farscape Project."

"Yeah, I heard about that."

Daniel snorted, "You did, did you?"

"That's all that's bugging you?" Jack asked softly.

"I'm also really hung over." Daniel sounded like a chastised child.

"You angry because your cousin is famous for playing Will Robinson for the four years while you've been fighting for the freedom of humanity for twice that long?"

Daniel flushed slightly at that. "I know he's not telling us everything. And he's so different, guarded, but at the same time he's got his insufferable arrogance about him. He acts like he's the first and only person in the universe to ever suffer hardship, and I just want to slap him upside the head for it!"

Jack cleared his throat and looked out the window to the briefing room. The two sat in silence for awhile, with Daniel periodically reaching out to grab something from Jack's desk, only to be thwarted with a quick slap to the back of his hand.

"Would you stop hitting me?" Daniel snatched his hand back to the safety of his lap.

"Only if you stop touching my shit." Jack shot back.

"Oh, please, you touch mine all the time."

"Yeah, well, that's different." Jack finished lamely.

Daniel nodded to the man trying to make conversation on the other side of the glass. "Who's the guy?"

Jack shrugged, "Barber from Indiana, we've been sharing memories for a couple of years now."

Daniel studied the man from Indiana, than shot Jack a suspicious glare. "How many is 'a couple'?"

Jack shrugged and pretended to go back to his reports in response.

"Jack?" Daniel fixed stern eyes on the other man. "How long?"

Jack squirmed like a little boy, "Eight- ish."

"Eight- ish?" Daniel sounded somewhere between amused and furious. "You do realize the Stargate Program has only existed as such for—oh, let's see—eight years now?"

* * *

"I can't believe he just left like that!" John exclaimed as he paced around his parent's living room.

Jack Crichton watched his son from the old but obscenely comfortable couch. "You really should cut him some slack, son, he hasn't exactly been on vacation this past year."

"Slack?" John shot his father an incredulous glare. "First, you want me to _understand_ the situation here, when all you really want me to do is help you destroy an yourself. Now you want me to cut my absent cousin some _slack?_" John paused for a breath. "I mean, Jesus, Dad, you've only thought I was dead for four years, why can't you cut me some slack for once?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jack's voice turned hard in an instant.

"You want me to give this country the power to destroy the entire planet because you're at war. Well, guess what Dad, so is the rest of the galaxy. Daniel is quite possibly working for the people who are in charge of hording all this stuff and you just want me to be all buddy- buddy with him? All I've wanted since I ended up out there is to come home. Now I'm not so sure if it was a good idea in the first place." John stopped dead in his tracks. "You can't even begin to understand how much danger we're in, and you have the nerve to lecture me on what I should and shouldn't do for my planet? You have no idea."

"How am I supposed to understand if you don't _tell me_, John?" The other man shouted in exasperation, throwing himself back into the couch. "You can't just expect me to know these things. I'm fucking clairvoyant here, son."

"It's not something I can just talk about. It—I wouldn't be able to explain—No matter what I said, Dad, there isn't anything that would make you understand." John fell into the old overstuffed chair across from his father completely drained.

For several minutes, two generations of courageous men faced each other in a tiny living room tucked away in a sun bleached South Florida suburb. In those moments the second Jonathan Crichton couldn't help but think of seemingly infinite space that separated him from his family. It was a void measured by time and experience instead of miles and inches, but equally insurmountable. He also found solace in the familiarity of their work. John couldn't help but think that it was beginning to look like a family business, discovering the universe in the name of humanity.

"It's not important what I think anymore, anyway." Jack pulled his only son from reverie with a quiet affirmation.

"What?" John was now completely befuddled.

"Someone at the Pentagon has decided that we should let the rest of the world in on your discoveries."

"What?"

"We're invited to a symposium where you and the rest of your crew will be introduced to certain representatives from around the world." Jack paused, trying to run out the beginnings of a headache. "Mostly military liaisons asking questions about how to replicate alien technology, or something."

"What?"


End file.
